Religious leaders warn politicians over incitements

Mombasa,KENYA:The council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya has warned politicians against incitement speeches as the country heads towards the polls scheduled for August.

Speaking to journalists at the councils offices in Mombasa on Thursday, the council’s chairman Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa said the country is currently undergoing a political heat due to the sentiments uttered by aspirants seeking elective posts.

Khalifa argued that there has in the recent past sprouted a group of politicians who have claimed to be religious and tribal activists among the people aimed at creating divisions among the people.

“There is a group of politicians who claim to be religious and tribal sympathizers with an aim of creating a gap amongst the Kenyans” the official lamented.

He urged the National and Integration commission to ensure that abusive language is also included as one of the catalysts of political hatred.

He observed that some people have even turned up to being die hard fans of certain politicians who are negatively used to divide the country on political and tribal grounds.

“Some people have become hard core fans of some politicians being misused to propel violence and divide the country on political and political grounds” he said.

The official added that incitements fueling violence would not be tolerated by any religious group or whatsoever. Warning that if no measures are taken then the country will head towards political turmoil.

“No religious group will tolerate incitements that aim at propelling violence.” He insisted.

This comes a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta claimed that CORD leader Raila Odinga was responsible for the 2007/08 post election violence that rocked the country.